Boston media continues to perpetuate myths about Peter Chiarelli

by Stanley Cup of Chowder on Jun 30, 2009 12:36 PM EDT

Why does the media insist on giving Peter Chiarelli credit for signing Zdeno Chara and Marc Savard? Fluto Shinzawa of the Boston Globe/Boston.com wrote a post today highlighting moves that Peter Chiarelli has made on July 1st during his time with the Bruins in which he credits Peter Chiarelli with signing free agents Zdeno Chara and Marc Savard on July 1, 2006. There is just one small problem: Peter Chiarelli was still under contract as the Assistant General Manager of the Ottawa Senators at the time and was not permitted to be involved in player personel decisions. Acting General Manager Jeff Gorton was the one who signed Chara and Savard (at least he was supposed to). This notion that Chiarelli signed Chara and Savard has been repeated so many times by the Boston media that most fans believe it. If Chiarelli was involved in these signings, then the Bruins violated NHL rules.

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Wait, that can’t be right. Chiarelli had agreed to take the Bruins’ job in June of that year, fulfilling his lifelong dream of being an NHL GM. So the only way he wasn’t in Boston on July 1 would be if the Senators prevented him from taking a promotion with another team, purely out of spite.

And if I know one thing from living in Ottawa, it’s that the Senators are a first class organization. Seriously. It’s mentioned in the paper every single day.

Please check your facts next time.

Down Goes Brown - Unapologetically nostalgic for the past. Brutally realistic about the present. Grudgingly optimistic about the future.

by Down Goes Brown on Jun 30, 2009 2:00 PM EDT reply actions

Actually, he agreed in late may.

However, he didn’t start until July 15th.

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by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Jun 30, 2009 2:20 PM EDT up reply actions

I think he was being sarcastic, Cornelius.

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by Stanley Cup of Chowder on Jun 30, 2009 2:35 PM EDT up reply actions

Down Goes Brown doesn’t know the meaning of sarcasm. AND NEITHER DO I

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by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Jun 30, 2009 2:38 PM EDT up reply actions

…but thank you for tracking down the articles to back that up.

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by Stanley Cup of Chowder on Jun 30, 2009 2:36 PM EDT up reply actions

Strange. I can only assume that he was so overwhelmed by the perpetual class of the Senators organization that he decided to stay an extra six weeks.

Sort of like how Roy Mlakar could have easily found a new job if he’d been fired when the season ended, but must have begged the Senators to not make it official until June. Which, of course, they classily agreed to do.

Down Goes Brown - Unapologetically nostalgic for the past. Brutally realistic about the present. Grudgingly optimistic about the future.

by Down Goes Brown on Jun 30, 2009 2:37 PM EDT up reply actions

Truly, the toast of the league.

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by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Jun 30, 2009 2:38 PM EDT up reply actions

In seriousness, though, isn’t there an assumption that Chiarelli was making the decisions by this point, even if he couldn’t actually sign the papers?

Sort of like a baseball manager who gets ejected and has to call the game from the hallway…

Down Goes Brown - Unapologetically nostalgic for the past. Brutally realistic about the present. Grudgingly optimistic about the future.

by Down Goes Brown on Jun 30, 2009 4:25 PM EDT reply actions

Could be, though I assume he was also still working for the Sens during that time.

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by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Jun 30, 2009 4:35 PM EDT up reply actions

I thought that since he was under contract with Ottawa, he was not allowed to be involved in anyway with player personel decisions. He may have been involved behind the scenes. I obvious don’t know. It seems strange that everyone gives him credit for something he either wasn’t involved with or shouldn’t have been involved with.

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by Stanley Cup of Chowder on Jun 30, 2009 5:33 PM EDT up reply actions